The Recruiting Guy

Heinrich had a lot of reasons for picking Hogs

Jake Heinrich

Offensive lineman Jake Heinrich named off several factors for his recent commitment to Arkansas.

Coach Bret Bielema and offensive line coach Sam Pittman are often mentioned by offensive linemen that join the program and Heinrich was the same.

“First off and foremost Coach Bielema, he has proven time and time again that he knows how to produce championship level winning teams,” Heinrich said. “That wasn’t my most important factor but it’s definitely something. Also I have a lot of respect for coach Pittman and what he’s been able to do in terms of developing offensive linemen. He seems like a player’s coach for sure. He’s very nice and really funny guy and really looking forward to playing for him.”

Heinrich, 6-4, 290 pounds of Urbandale, Iowa picked the Hogs over scholarship offers from Oregon, Iowa State, Louisville, California, Kansas State, Illinois and others. He met with strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert during his June 6-7 visit to Fayetteville.

“Coach Herbert really impressed me with his strength presentation and looking forward to developing further as an athlete and a football player,” Heinrich said. “With him I think I’ll be able to go far under his tutelage and develop my strength and my speed, agility, mobility, quickness. You name it.”

Heinrich has a 420 pound bench press and 620 squat along with a best of 335 in the power clean. Herbert showed photos of players after 10 weeks into his program and the results were impressive.

“Some guys put on a lot of clean weight,” Heinrich said. “Some guys leaned out a lot. Their lifting numbers went through the roof, their speed numbers improved in only ten weeks. We were able to visit with current players and they said they feel better every single day working with him from the diet aspect, to the mobility and flexibility aspect all the way down to the work they do on the field and in the weight room.”

Heinrich, who has been invited to play in the Semper Fi All American game, also praised the Razorback fans.

“They were really supportive, them reaching out to me on Twitter,” Heinrich said. “That wasn’t the determining factor, but it was definitely neat to receive all that support and I'm really looking forward to playing in front of them.”

Bielema has constantly said he’s looking for uncommon men and Heinrich believes his visit to Arkansas was exactly that and help separate the Hogs from all the other schools he visited.

“I don’t want to be cliche or anything, but it’s a really great word to describe it, it was uncommon.,” Heinrich said. “Especially the mentality of the players really stood out. I was able to listen to a lot of players on a lot of different visits, but these guys really seemed like they got it.”

Heinrich noted Arkansas finished last season well, but the players want much more.’

“I think everybody is hungry,” Heinrich said. “I think the entire staff is hungry. They know they want more and I think they’re going to get it and I can’t wait to be a part of it. I like to compete, I like to improve every single day and that seems like that’s the direction the program is headed and I don’t think they’re going to stop anytime soon. I want to be a part of the best team in the country and I think the Razorbacks are going to be there in a year or two.”

He only has plans to visit Fayetteville for games this season and for an official visit.

“Other than that, I’m done,” Heinrich said.